Get All Access for $5/mo

Kevin O'Leary Says 'Bidenomics' Is 'Bad' for Small Businesses, Only 'Focused on the Big Guys' In an interview with Fox's "Outnumbered" this week, the "Shark Tank" star slammed the Biden Administration's economic policies.

By Entrepreneur Staff

Key Takeaways

  • "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary told Fox's "Outnumbered" this week that "Bidenomics" is "bad economic policy" that's "only focused on the big guys."

"Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary slammed "Bidenomics" in the interview with Fox's "Outnumbered" this week, telling the hosts that the administration's economic policies were "starving small business in America."

On the program, O'Leary said that the policies and "multiple bills, including the CHIPS Act and of course, the anti-inflation act, whatever you want to call it" includes massive amounts of spending that isn't targeting the right areas.

"Most of it's going to the S&P 500 companies," O'Leary said. "They're important. They're big employers in America. However, they only represent 40% of the economy."

The "unintended consequence," he said, is that it has all led to the "starving" of small businesses, adding that the "problem" began in the last six to eight weeks.

Kevin O'Leary testifying to Congress about the FTX crash in December 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Related: Kevin O'Leary Says Here's Where to Put Your Money Right Now: 'Go Where People Hate It'

"We throw billions to Intel and nothing to a guy in Champaign-Urbana who's running a shop with 58 employees," he said. "His cost of capital because of these rapid rate hikes has gone through the moon. He can't raise any capital because the regional banks have stopped lending to him as they wait to see what the new liquidity rules are. You talk to anybody running a small business with between five and 500 employees, they cannot raise any money."

O'Leary made the remarks in response to the Labor Department's latest CPI report, which found that inflation had slowed for the 12th month in a row, with consumer prices increasing 3% from a year earlier (and down from 4% in May).

While core inflation eased "more than expected," according to the report, O'Leary noted that "it is not down," and prices on everyday items continue to vex American's wallets. Rents, gas, and food prices rose 0.2% in June from the previous month.

Related: Wage Growth Outpaces Inflation for First Time in 2 Years, Offering Hope for Economic Growth in the U.S.

"That's bad economic policy," O'Leary said. "And that's because Biden's focused only on the big guys."

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

For more than 30 years, Entrepreneur has set the course for success for millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. We'll teach you the secrets of the winners and give you exactly what you need to lay the groundwork for success.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Former Starbucks Employee Started a Side Hustle That's Making More Than $70,000 a Month — and He's Not Done Yet

When Tom Saar moved to New York City, he spotted a lucrative business opportunity.

Business News

Is One Company to Blame for Soaring Rental Prices in the U.S.?

The FBI recently raided a major corporate landlord while investigating a rent price-fixing scheme. Here's what we know.

Business News

Amazon Has a Blank Book Problem: Buyers Report Receiving Fakes of Bestselling UFO Book

The book looked fine on the outside, but the inside was out-of-this-world.

Business News

Paramount Leadership Alludes to Layoffs If Merger Does Not Go Through

Paramount is awaiting approval on its merger with Skydance Media from majority shareholder Shari Redstone.

Business News

Microsoft Reportedly Lays Off Over 1,500 Employees in Cloud Sector as Partnership with OpenAI Strengthens

Alphabet also reportedly laid off employees from several teams in Google's cloud unit last week.

Marketing

6 SEO Tips to Help You Rank in the New Era of Quality Content

What is the best SEO strategy after Google's March 2024 core update? Here's what you need to know.